EDITORIAL STAFF- THE SILENT FORCE:

"Any fool can write. It needs a heaven born genius to edit".

"A good sub-editor is a creative artist".
Sayings and descriptions like these tell the story of editors, sub editors and other
editorial staff. But this is only half the story. The truth is that members of the
editorial staff are the hardest working people with the toughest job in a newspaper.
They shoulder most of the responsibility and while they get brickbats for his
mistakes, he gets no credit for doing a good job.
Like the make-up men in the green room of a drama company, the sub editor
toils in the background, away from public gaze. He gathers and selects material,
puts them into shape, and presents them in an attractive manner. He improves upon
the stories received from reporters, correspondents and other sources, clarifies, and
makes the stories easier to understand. He also adds drama and excitement (when
necessary) to make the stories more appealing and meaningful.
The sub editor can bring artistry and elegance to the pages. He is the live wire
of a newspaper and the impact of his pen or his fingers on the keyboard is felt on
every word, every phrase, every headline and every inch of news that a newspaper
carries.
While being a creative artist, the sub editor is also a real craftsman. His task
is to 'fashion the finished product' every day, seven days a week and three hundred
and sixty five days a year. Every single day the sub editor is involved in deft and
high-speed operations involving detection and correction of all kinds of errors and
imperfections and the composition of suitable headlines.
Often the sub editor is like a butcher who cuts stories. It has been accused, mostly by
reporters, that the sub editor systematically destroys fine writing and faultless prose. This is
a
highly unwarranted charge and criticism. The sub editor’s job is not to make stories fit in the
available space. In fact, the sub editor is the 'solemn censor', and the 'news surgeon'. He is
the
polisher of other's writing. Often he transforms uninteresting writing into vivid and exciting
prose.
And the sub editor does this while facing two of his perennial enemies - time and space.
The ideal sub editor has the following qualities:
o A good sub-editor has a sharp news sense. He does not bring his own particular
prejudices or interests into sub editing. His news sense is related to his
newspaper so that he can create exciting stories out of a mass of copy that he
receives every day.
o A good sub-editor has an orderly mind and a cool head so that when he is faced
with great piles of copy coming from all directions he will be able to cope with
them without panicking. He has to get the facts clear and in sequence in his mind
or on his copy pad. Otherwise they will not be clear and in sequence in the
newspaper.
o A good sub-editor has sound general knowledge. He must know about almost
every thing. Book learning is not sufficient for this. Thus newspaper reading is
essential. Reading a wide range of newspapers will not only keep him up-to-date
on events but also even give him sensitivity about the people whose very names
are news.
o A good sub-editor is obsessed with accuracy. Because even the smallest mistake
will damage the newspaper.
o A good sub-editor must work fast when the occasion arises. Such occasions will
probably be quite often. The sub editor is tied to the clock. The perfect story
means nothing if it misses the edition. The sub-editor will do himself harm, not
any good, if he polishes a story to the extent that is disastrously late. He has to
cultivate a capacity to know how much he can do and still get the story ready on
time.
o A good sub-editor should write a bright, effective headline. The sub-editor who
learns to write a good heading and write it quickly is an asset to any
organization.
o A good sub-editor must have some knowledge of law as it applies to newspapers.
He should know what he can say without actually libeling somebody or getting
the editor hauled up before Parliament or some state legislature or court. He
must be particularly careful against getting his editor involved in Contempt of
Court and Contempt of Parliament.
o A good sub editor will maintain a sense of excitement about change.
o A good sub-editor approaches all stories with a healthy cynicism - not only about
facts but the way they are interpreted. He exercises particular care about
scandalous stories and works on the premise that in most cases there is another
side to the story and it is the newspaper's duty to highlight it.
o A good sub-editor preferably is a master of some topic or other. He should
cultivate an area of specialization and do better on that topic than anyone else
on the news desk.
A good sub editor will write clearly, crisply and concisely. It involves coolness and
orderliness.